Professional Journalism and Self-Regulation United Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization Professional Journalism and Self-Regulation New Media, Old Dilemmas in South East Europe and Turkey 1 Published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France © UNESCO 2011 All rights reserved ISBN 978 - 92 - 3 - 104193 - 8 The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Typeset by UNESCO Printed by UNESCO Printed in France 2 Contents Preface . .6 List of contributors . 7 Foreword . 11 Acknowledgements . 15 1 Media accountability systems (MAS) and their applications in South East Europe and Turkey . 17 Ognian Zlatev Self-regulation principles . 17 Press councils . 19 Applications of the MAS in SEE and Turkey . 23 Conclusion . 37 Notes . 39 2 Balkan media: lost in transition? . 41 Remzi Lani Introduction . 41 After the wall . 42 Don’t forget media wars . .45 Partly free? . 46 An extension of politics . .50 An unholy alliance: media, business, politics . .53 Watching the watchdog . 57 Ethical dilemmas, old and new . 59 References . 64 3 3 The ‘Lone Ranger’ as the missionary of conscience: the role of the news ombudsman . 67 Contents Contents Yavuz Baydar Introduction . 67 Background: the origins of the ombudsman office . .69 The rationale: why ombudsmen are needed . 73 The layers of function: tasks of ombudsmen . .76 Qualifications: what makes a fine ombudsman . .79 Manners and means: how ombudsmen work . 80 ‘Cyberombudsmen’: how to make online journalism accountable? . 86 The practice at the Guardian: a global model? . 88 The platform: the Organization of News Ombudsmen (ONO) . 91 References . 93 4 The Turkish experience: ombudsmanship in a hostile environment . 95 Yavuz Baydar Introduction . 95 A car crash . 96 A painful lesson . 97 5 On public service broadcasting and ombudsmanship . 99 Jacob Mollerup The basics are the same . 99 Public service broadcasters and self-regulation . 100 Six different roles of the ombudsman . .104 Nine case studies: public broadcasters with ombudsmen . 107 Ombudsmen – part of a process. 112 From the toolbox . .114 Perspectives . 119 4 Professional Journalism 6 Internet-era experience in South East and Self-Regulation Europe’s media . 121 Gordana Vilović Introduction . 121 Use of the internet in South East Europe: fast development . 123 Ethics and freedom of expression on the internet . 126 Conclusion . 136 Notes . 137 References . 138 7 Promoting media accountability in South East Europe: future challenges in mind . 141 Tarja Turtia and Adeline Hulin 5 This publication was produced in the context of the project ‘Alignment to International Standards in the Media Sector of South East European Countries’ which aimed to consolidate European standards on media ethics, promote the establishment and effective functioning of self- regulatory mechanisms, and create a network of key stakeholders and experts. The project was initiated by UNESCO in August 2008 through funding from the European Commission, and was carried out in collaboration with the South East European Network for the Professionalization of Media (SEENPM), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe (AIPCE). The project was implemented in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey as well as in Kosovo – in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). Over the course of two-and-a-half years, press council members, news ombudsmen, editors and journalists, academics, representatives from media institutes, civil society and international organizations were brought together through two annual series of local roundtables, and region-wide meetings held in Tirana (March 2009) and Istanbul (February 2010), with the closing conference taking place in Paris (January 2011). A web portal focusing on media accountability in Europe was developed for the sharing of information (available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/ communication-and-information/freedom-of-expression/professional- journalistic-standards-and-code-of-ethics/europe/) Renowned for their expertise in the field of media self-regulation, the contributing authors of this publication were active participants in the abovementioned project, and present a thorough analysis of the main issues addressed during the regional and local consultations (further information about the project can be found in the final chapter of this publication). 6 Contributors Yavuz Baydar A journalist with 32 years of experience, Yavuz Baydar is professionally active in both print and audiovisual media. He writes opinion columns for the daily newspaper Today’s Zaman, where he comments on domestic and foreign policy issues related to Turkey, and press matters. Baydar also works as the reader’s representative (news ombudsman) for the daily newspaper Sabah, and presents the weekly current affairs programme Acik Gorus (Open View) on TV24. Yavuz Baydar worked as a producer and news presenter for the Swedish Radio & TV Corp. (SR), Stockholm, Sweden, and as correspondent for Scandinavia and the Baltic for the Turkish daily Cumhuriyet between 1980 and 1992. After three years as producer and editor, consecutively with Show TV in Paris and with the BBC World Service, London, he returned to Turkey in 1994. Back in his home country, he worked as the foreign desk editor with the daily newspaper Yeni Yüzyıl, and as Op-Ed editor and ombudsman for the daily Milliyet. Yavuz Baydar served as president of the International Organization of News Ombudsmen (ONO) between 2003 and 2004. He is also a member of the World Editors Forum (WEF) and the Committee of Concerned Journalists (CCJ). Adeline Hulin Adeline Hulin is a project coordinator at the Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Co- operation in Europe (OSCE), which she joined in 2006. Prior to that, she worked as a consultant for the French Liaison Centre between the Media and Education (CLEMI) and for UNESCO, on media education programmes. She holds a Master’s degree in journalism from the University Paris Dauphine and a BA in Political Sciences from the Bordeaux Institut d’Etudes Politiques. 7 Remzi Lani Remzi Lani is the executive director of the Albanian Media Institute. Between 1983 and 1992, he was chief editor of Zeri i Rinise, one of the first liberal newspapers in Albania. He served as a correspondent for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo (1991–93) as well as for the Zeri newspaper, Contributors Pristina (1993–95). He was editor of the Alternative Information Network in Tirana (1995–2002), and co-editor of the Albanian edition of Foreign Policy magazine. He was the first president of the South East Network of Media Centers and Media Institutes, which brings together 15 media institutes and media centres from South East Europe. Remzi Lani is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Balkan Trust for Democracy. He is also a member of the Steering Committee of Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), and of the board of the World Association of Newspapers (WAN). Jacob Mollerup Jacob Mollerup, 57, has been working as a journalist and editor since 1980. Among his different appointments, he has served as managing editor and news editor for the newspaper Politiken (1988–95), chief editor for the newspaper Information (1996–2001), and senior reporter and editor for Berlingske Nyhedsmagasin (2001–04). In 2004, he became the first listeners’ and viewers’ editor at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR). As the national public service broadcasting station, DR includes a number of national television and radio channels, as well as web services. Jacob Mollerup also became president of the Danish Association for Investigative Journalism in 2005. Since May 2010 he has been president of the Organization of News Ombudsmen (ONO). Tarja Turtia Tarja Turtia is a programme specialist at UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector, in the Division for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace, which she joined in 2002. Prior to that, she worked as a journalist in various broadcasting and print news media in Finland, mainly reporting on international affairs. She holds a Master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Tampere, Finland. 8 Professional Journalism Gordana Vilović and Self-Regulation Gordana Vilović holds a political science doctorate and is associate professor at the Faculty of Political Science – Journalism Department, Zagreb University. She has authored and co-authored a number of books on media ethics, education of journalists and diversity reporting, as well as numerous expert and scientific essays on the media. She has participated in different forms of journalists’ professional education and training, in Croatia and other South East European countries. From 2003 to 2008 she was engaged at the International Center for Education of Journalists (ICEJ) in Zagreb and was assistant professor